Halogenation process and products produced thereby



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' products derived from acetylene --p .tion. More particularly it relatestoipro ucts-of v the reaction of sulfuryl chloride with acetylene. polymers. 1

Prior art It is known that by passin acct lene into 19 a mixture of ammonium c lori e, water,

on rous chloride and copper powder of suitablb proportions and under proper conditions, unsaturated hydrocarbons of higher molecular weight are formed. These. hydrocarbons may be separated by distillation from the reaction mixture. The product is a lowboiling (8085 C.) highly unsaturated liquid. This liquid is apparently made up of a number of constituents, Iapparently hav- 'ing the general formula. C The major constituent is called divinylacet lene and most probably has the empirica formula C H Others formed in appreciable proportions, which may be mentioned, are believed to have the formulae C ll and 0,11,. These roducts in turn may be roughly separated y distillation.

It is also known that the crude mixture any one of its constituents or mixtures of the various constituents may be olymerized in various ways, for instance, y aging at ordinary temperatures. The polymerization is greatly accelerated at elevated temperatures, and is known to take place either in the resence of oxygen or inert gases, as nitrogen. n the presence of oxygen, the polymerizing material will absorb oxygen with the development of compounds having explosive properties. Therefore, if it is desired to carry out the polymerization in an oxygen environment and at the same time produce a material free from chemically combined oxygen some method for inhibiting oxidation must be employed. One successful method already disclosed is to incorporate into the material to be polymerized a substance which will prevent oxygen absorption. 7

As the polymerization proceeds regardless of the method emplo ed, the material passes successively to an 0i y, then to a gelatlnous,

1' wanna-non annriionucrs raonucnn Application sum 10,404,188. This invention aim to ne ma ma mass,.and finally yields 'J'isfirst formed'is' largely so u la i alcohol ahardQi -tt1e resinous material having unusual re .fnce to the action of water and to organicsolvents, The oil roduct which 85 and acetone; the gelatinous bod next formed 18 largely soluble in acetone ut only a tially soluble in alcohol; the resinous modification is substantially insoluble in alcohol and is to a slight extent soluble in acetone; the final, hard, brittle polymers are substantially insoluble in both alcohol and acetone. These successive polymerization products apparently consist of a group of compounds in various stages of po ymerization and they may be only roughly separated by dissolving. They may be successfully separated by distillation. v

If the polymerization is stopped in the initial stages, the oily liquid polymer obtained may be separated from the volatile unpolymerized material by distillation. The resultant residue is a non-volatile substance having the general pro erties of a bodied dryin oil. It has been s own that this drying oi may be used in the manufacture of paints or other coating compositions. It ma be mixed with the solvents, pi ents, ers, etc., commonly employed in t 0 preparation of coating composltions.

The example following illustrates the preparation from acetylene of the polymerizable polymer by the known method referred to above. I

Example A 945 parts by weight of ammonium chloride, 1000 parts by weight of water, 2850 parts by weight of cuprous chloride, and 100 parts by weight of copper powder, are mixed and this mixture thoroughly agitated while passing into it acetylene When the reaction slows up, as shown y a decrease in the rate of absorption of acetylene, the operation is discontinued, and t e highly unsaturated hydrocarbon product formed is obtained by distillation which is stopped when the condensed hydrocarbon is mixed with .much water. The wateris se arated and returnedtothereaction masswhi ,after cooling, is ready for the absorption of moreacetylene. It is preferable, although not essential, to keep the reaction temperature at approximately 25 C. by suitable cooling of 5 the reaction mass.

Other polymers produced in appreciable quantities are believed to have the formulae: (3 H and C H These products may be roughly separated by distillation.

As illustrative of the partial polymerization by a known method of the material obtained in Example A, the following example is furnished.

Example B 1000 grams of pure divinylacetylene obtained from the product of Example A by distillation is boiled at atmospheric pressure and in the presence of air for four hours in a vessel provided with a condenser for the return of the condensed vapors to the reaction. The temperature of the boiling liquid is between 89 and 90 C. At the end of four hours the unchanged divinylacetylene is distilled off under reduced pressure. There remains, in 12 to 18% yield, a viscous nonvolatile residue having the general properties of a bodied drying oil and consisting of the polymerized divinylacetylene.

The above examples. it will be understood, merely illustrate the preparation of the already known materials and are not a part of the present invention. It will be understood that any one of the first-step polymers or a mixture thereof may be polymerized similarly to the divinylacetylene of Example B and that the polymerization, instead of being discontinued at the oily stage as described in Example B, may be continued to any of the successive stages of partial polymerization described above or to obtain a solid polymer as the final product.

Object of mention Owing to their high degree of unsaturation, the characteristic behavior of the polymerizable acetylene polymers, as prepared by the methods described above. is to rapidly absorb oxygen and also to undergo further polymerization. It is the object of this invention to utilize the high degree of unsaturation to form from such polymers, other than by polymerization 'alone, more stable compounds, which compounds will'have a decreased tendency to oxidize and polymerize and will themselves be valuable or will constitute valuable intermediates for the preparation of numerous, useful and novel compounds.

Description of mention The objects are accomplished by the introduction of halogen at one or more of the unsaturated links of the acetylene polymer molecule. In copending applications we have disclosed two methods of accomplishing this end; first by direct chlorination, second by reaction with sulfur chloride. We now have found that the introduction of chlorine at one or more of the unsaturated links of the acetylene polymer molecule may be accomplished through the agency of sulfuryl chloride (SO CI We have found that all of the acetylene polymers and polymerized acetylene polymers described in Examples A and B (prior art) will react with sulfuryl chloride under suitable conditions, with the possible exception of the substantially completely polymerized hard brittle solid polymer. The hard brittle substantially completely polymerized polymer appears to be unaffected under our working conditions; the less highly polymerized solid polymers of the semiplastic type, however, react normally.

These polymerizable acetylene polymers either in solution or alone, with or without a catalyst, react with sulfuryl chloride to form amixture of products, a portion of which are chlorinated derivatives containing no sulfur. The other products are essentially polymers and hydrocarbon esters of sulfur containin acids. The chloro-derivatives of the 'acetyfiine polymers, so formed, are less unsaturated and therefore more stable than the original acetylene polymers; they contain chlorine in addition to carbon and hydrogen and their boiling point and viscosity are increased over those of the original compound.

Catalysts are not necessary for this reaction but may be used. They have been found to speed up the reaction, in some cases to such degree as to cause explosive violence. lVith the use of solvents whereby the velocity of the reaction is decreased, it is however frequently advantageous to use a catalyst such as aluminum chloride, ferric chloride or zinc chloride. Any liquid which does not react with sulfuryl chloride is suitable as a solvent, as for example, carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane, chloroform, benzoyl chloride, acetyl chloride and liquid sulfur dioxide; moreover, any solvent may be used where the reaction between solvent and sulfuryl chloride is slow and has no influence on the course of the desired major reaction, for example, acetic acid. Y

The invention will be readily understood from consideration of the following examples which it will be understood are furnished merely by way of illustration.

mer 0 Example A (prior art) thought to be perature.

divinylacetylene is added to approximately 170 'parts of sulfuryl chloride at room tem- The reaction is hastened at the start by warming slightly, but as soon as 1t becomes ap arent as evidenced by the evolution of 86,, the mixture is cooled and held at 35 C. until the reaction is completed. When no more S0 is liberated, the product is washed with water giving a crude 011 which may be used as such or purified b steam distillation or vacuum distillation, giving a dark tarry residue of polymerized c lorine-containmg acetylene polymers and a volatile oil. The oil is a heavy colorless liquid which decomposes and polymerizes at elevated temperature with a probable boiling point of 58 at 7 mm. of mercury pressure. compound which is thought to'be C H CI (possibly 3,4-diohloro-1,3,5-hexatriene) has a pepper like odor, it is a mild lachrymator and skin irritant; soluble in ether, carbon tetraweight.

chloride, benzene, chloroform, acetone, ethyl acetate and most organic solvents and partially soluble in methanol, ethanol and acetic acid. Heating with sodium acetate, sodamide, sodium ethoxide, aqueous caustic, many amines such as dibutylamine, aniline, p-toluidine, etc., causes the removal of chlorine with the formation of new compounds, frequently polymerized to high molecular Example [I Example III 100 parts of the non-volatile liquid acetylene polymers described in Example B are treated with 170 parts of sulfuryl chloride as in Example I. After washing with water, this product is a non-volatile oil composed of chloro-derivatives of polymerized acetylene polymers containing approximately 47 to 50% chlorine. In solution in toluene, xylene or solvent naphtha, this compound constitutes anew and usefulcoating composition.

Example] V Example; 111] is repeated but with the S0 01, dissolved in an equal weight of carbon tetrachloride or 1,1,2,2,-tetrachloroethane The product is the same as that oh- This tained by dissolving the reaction product from Example III in an equal Wei ht of solvent. The reaction, however, in t is case is much less vigorous.

Example V,

300 parts of sulfuryl chloride are heated to boiling under an eiiicient reflux condenser; 150 parts of crude acetylene polymers (described in Example A) are slowly added over a period of about one hour. Refiuxing is continued for several hours, the product is then washed and found to be similar in properties but notg'necessarily identical with that obtained in Example III.

E trample VI E wample VI I 100 parts of the acetylene polymer thought 7 to be monovinylacetylene ((LIL) of Example A are introduced into 270 parts of SO CI as a gas. The material which escapes from the mixture is passed through a condenser cooled below 0 C. to return acetylene poly mer but allow sulfur dioxide to escape. The reaction is held at 2040 C. until sulfur dioxide is no longer evolved; the product is then washed with water to remove excess SO CL, separated, dried and distilled. The product soobtained consists of a volatile oil and a less volatile residue; these may be used without separation or may be separated and purified by this or any other known means.

The volatile oil distills at atmospheric pressure at a temperature over 100 C. with decomposition and polymerization; it appears to have the molecular formula (LILCI containing approximately 58%,01? chlorine. It is a heavy, colorless, oil, insoluble in water and soluble in carbon tetrachloride, benzene, chloroform and alcohol; it is thought to be 1,2-dichlorobutadiene-1.3 and/or 1,2-'lichlorobutine-3. The less volatile material is composed of polymers of the'loriginal acetylene polymer, polymers of the volatile chloride and some small amount of more highly chlorinate'd material, possibly C,H Cl

, It will be evident from the above examples v that many methods of manipulation may be successfully used to carry out the reactions illustrated above: liquid sulfuryl chloride primarily an addition resulting in derivaand liquid acetylene pol mer maybe brought .into reaction; both su stances may be as gases and allowed to react in that state; gase-v ous'sulfuryl chloride may be brought in contact with liquid polymers of acetylene; gaseous polymers of acetylene and liquld sulfuryl chloride may be used; a solution of the acetylene polymer may be treated with liquid or gaseous sulfuryl chloride or with sulfuryl chloride in a solvent; or finally sulfuryl chlo ride may be in solution and treated with li uid or gaseous acetylene polymers or wit acetylene polymers dissolved in a solvent. In

'all cases, the crude product is a mixture ing any excess sulfuryl chloride and purifying by distillation or other known means of fractionation. This compound is not identical to the chloride obtained from the corre spondingly polymerized polymer by direct chlorination, as described in the copending application referred to above.

For reaction in the liquid phase, we prefer to operate between 0 and 35 (3.; reaction in the vapor phase is most conveniently accom lished between 85 and 150 C.; our wor ring limits are broadly, therefore, 0 to 150 C. Lower temperatures while they may be employed are not practical due to the slowness of the reaction. .Higher temperatures,

' also, may be employed but at such temperatures there is danger of the reaction proceeding at such a rapid rate that it becomes uncontrollable.

When chlorination is efl'ected at temperatures below 20 C. the reaction is apparently tives which are still unsaturated. In such cases the chlorine apparently enters the molecule only at the unsaturated bonds as witnessed by the fact that there is no evidence of hydrochloride in the reaction mixture.

However, as the temperature rises above 20 C. there is an increasing tendency for polymerization to take place simultaneously with the chlorination. When chlorination is effected at temperatures above 35 C., as a result of such polymerization, the viscosity of'the finalproduct is appreciably greater than when chlorination is effected below 20 C. Also, within the higher temperature ranges substitution or replacement of hydrogen atoms by chlorine atoms in the molecule of the acetylene polymer appears to take place we sli ht extent as witnessed by the presence of Cl.

The reaction with chlorine causes the evolution of heat and therefore, if it is desired to avoid polymerization and substitu tion, temperature control is necessary. To this end a cooling system is useful. We have further found that it is advantageous to cool the reaction mixture to prevent polymerization and reactions of uncontrollable violence. Alternatively the addition of the sulfuryl chloride may be carried out at so slow a rate that the heat will be radiated as rapidly as evolved. It has been found, also, that the use of an inert solvent decreases the difficulties of cooling and prevents violent and uncontrollable reactions. If a solvent is used, cooling is of less importance but in this case the system should be equipped to condense and return any volatilized material.

In many instances, however, it may be desirable to simultaneously polymerize and chlorinate. In suchinstances, of course, it will be necessary only to avoid such an increase in temperature as to avoid uncontrollable reactions. The products resultin are substantially the same as regards their p ysical properties as those obtained by chlorination at low temperatures of the correspondingly polymerized acetylene polymers. The fact that some substitution of hydrogen has taken place will not materially affect the properties of-the product.

It will be evident therefore that the temperatures must be regulated in accordance with the viscosity and degree of saturation of the initial product as compared to the product desired. The addition of the chlorine, as already noted, imparts stability to the polymer and resistance to further polymerization and to oxidation. The resultmg com ounds, which are still unsaturated, will stil polymerize and absorb oxygen, but at' a relatively lower rate than the original polymer. The chlorination, also, of course, raises the specific gravity and boiling point of the material treated. The viscosity of the treated material also is increased.

From the foregoing examples, it is clear that any proportion of acetylene polymer and sulfuryl chloride may be used. We have found, however, that if more than 5 parts of sulfuryl chloride are used to 1 of acetylene polymer, considerable unreacted SO CI is left at the time of the water wash. To obtain the best yields of volatile chloro-derivatives (such as C,H,Cl,) we prefer to use an so Cl /acetylene polymer ratio in the neighborhood of 2/1. A higher ratio results in the formation of products containing over 48% chlorine which are less unsaturated than the material described in Example I and show of course, be determined by plated use. 1

less tendency to absorb oxygen and dryin the manner of a dryin oil.

The materials pro need by this invention may be used as drying oils for paints, as adheslves, as plastic or semi lastic hot and cold moulding materials, as yestufi's intermediates and by reason oftheir unusual stability are especially ada ted for use as linings and coatings forvesse s ex osed to active chemical rea ents. The c emical and physical roperties of these new compounds prepared y the manner of our invention, moreover, make them valuable intermediates in the syntheses of various useful derivatives. The degree of polymerization and chlorination will,

the contem- .It will be understood that the products are of complexchemical constitution and that it is impossible to state with an degrees of finality what is their exact c emical constitution.

' 1. Theprocess which comprises reacting a polymerizable nonbenzenoid polymer of acetylene with sulfuryl chloride.

2. The process which comprises reacting a polymerizable nonbenzenoid polymer of acetlene with sulfuryl' chloride at a temperature low 150 C. I

3. A process which comprises reacting a liquid: acetylene nonbenzenoid polymer at a temperature between O-and C. with sulfuryl chloride.

4. A process which comprises reactmg a polymerizable nonbenzenoid polymer of acetylene with not over five times its weight of sulfuryl chloride.

5. The process which comprises reacting a normally liquid nonbenzenoid polymer of acetylene with approximately twice its weightof sulfuryl chloride at a temperature below 150 C. p 6. The process which comprises reactmg a I normally liquid nonbenzenoid polymer of acetylene with approximately twice its weight of sulfuryl chloride at a temperature between 0 and 35 C.

7. The process which comprises reacting a polymerizable nonbenzenoid polymer of acetylene with sulfuryl chloride in the presence of a solvent for at east one of the reactants.

8. The process which comprises reacting a normally li uid nonbenzenoid polymer of acetylene wit approximately twice its weight of sulfuryl chloride at a temperature between 0 and 35 C. in the presence of a solvent for at least one of the reactants.

9. The process which comprises reacting a r polymerizable nonbenzenoid polymerof acetylene with sulfuryl chloride in the presence of a polymerization catalyst.

10. The process which comprises reacting a normally liquid nonbenzenoid polymerof acetylene with approximately twice 7 its weight of sulfuryl chloride at a temperature below 150 C. in the presence of a polymerization catalyst which. accelerates the reaction.

11. The process which comprises reacting a normally liquid nonbenzenoid polymer of acetylene with approximately twice its weight of sulfuryl chloride ata temperature between 0 and 35 C. in the presence of a, solvent for at least one of the reactants and a polymerization catalyst which accelerates the reaction.

12. The process which comprises reacting divinylacetylene with sulfuryl chloride.

13. The process which comprises reacting divinylacetylene at a temperature between 0 and 35 C. with approximately twice its weight of sulfuryl chloride. I

14. The process which comprises reacting 100 parts of divinylacetylene at a temperature between 30 and 35 C. with substantially 171 parts of sulfuryl chloride.

15. The process which comprises reacting divinylacetylene at a temperature between 0 and 35 C. with approximately twice its weight of sulfuryl chloride in the presenceof an inert solvent for at least one of the reactants. 1

16. Theprocess which comprises reacting divinylacetylene at a temperature between 0 and 35 C. with ap roximatel twice its weight of sulfuryl ch oride in t e presence of an inert solvent for at least one of the reactants and a polymerization catalyst which accelerates the reaction.

17. A chlorinated polymerizable acetylene nonbenzenoid polymer resulting from reacting said polymer with less than five times its wei ht of sulfuryl chloride.

18. K chlorinated polymerizable acetylene nonbenzenoid polymer resulting from reacting said polymer with less than five times its weight of sulfuryl chloride at a tempera-- is partially soluble in ethanol, methanol and acetic acid, and soluble in ether and carbon tetrachloride.

21. A process which comprises reacting an incompletely polymerized nonbenzenoid polymer of acetylene with sulfuryl chloride.

.22; A process which comprises reacting an incompletely polymerized nonbenzenoid polymer of acetylene with sulfuryl chloride in the presence of an inert solvent for at least one of the reactants.

23. A process which comprises reacting an incompletely polymerized nonbenzenoid polymer of acetylene with sulfuryl chloride in the presence of an inert solvent for at least one of the reactants and in the presence of a polymerization catalyst which accelerates the reaction.

24. A chlorine containing compound resulting from the reaction of an incompletely polymerized nonbenzenoid polymer of acetylene with sulfuryl chloride.

25. In a solvent, the product resulting from the interaction of a non-volatile liquid nonbenzenoid acetylene polymer and sulfuryl chloride.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

WILLIAM S. CALCOTT. ALBERT S. CARTER. 

